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Monday, July 11, 2016

Zach collapsed just as he reached to where Josiah stood. He felt a slight sense of relief for a moment. What ever had attacked him seemed to be gone now. His body trembled as a pain like he had never felt before, shot through him. He knew he was bleeding at the neck. He was certain he had lost a good amount of blood just from the way he was feeling. He felt weak, his vision was blurred and he was unable to focus. His wound was bad and he had an eery feeling that was not all he had to worry about. The last thing he remembered was fighting off an attacker- and then something lunged at him from the side. A person. A crazed twisted mangled human, had blind sided him and bit him. Luckily for him it was smaller in size, in comparison to him. It was a she, a female he thought to himself. None of it seemed real. He shook his head. But the vision flashed before him again. Yes, he thought silently. He had seen teeth, heard snarling and animal like growling. Then as he fought to free himself, he felt the bite. The locking of teeth as it tore at his flesh. He felt the ripping of skin and muscle as it was savagely removed from the left side of his neck. The pain was so intense. He also remembered feeling the gush of blood.

The thought of dying flashed through his mind now. "No" He cried in a muffled voice. "I don't want to die. Help me please, tell me how bad is it." He was certain shock was starting to now settle in as his mind tried to accept what had happened and the intense the pain he was feeling. The room darkened as he tried to look around. He was slowly losing consciousness and fought hard to remain alert.

Josiah held his arms out to Zach as he tumbled towards him. Cody was at Josiah's side instantly to help catch him, as his slim physique slowly fell. "Help me, please help me" Zach cried in between quicken breaths. Cody helped Josiah gently rest Zach down on a near by lab table. Blood dripped from his his neck on to Cody's fore- arm. Zach's eyes went shut for a few minutes as he took another deep breath and allowed himself to be to laid down. Cody's eyes followed where the trickle of blood had fallen from- the gaping wound on Zach's neck. He felt an unexplained fear envelope him as he looked at the wound and tried to accept how all this could be happening.

Doc Keller quickly moved in closer, to help steady the injured man and asses the wound.
Cody had seen enough bites from coyotes and wolves, that would occasionally venture on his property to prey on his live- stock, to know when he saw a bite. He fixed his eyes on Doc's for a moment. The two men shared a long look of silence. Just what in the hell were they dealing with he thought to himself. He knew Doc had to know this was a bite. A bite from something. Even before Doc spoke Cody knew what he would say. Quietly Doc looked down and whispered loud enough for Cody and Josiah to hear "its a human bite".

Josiah was on the radio again calling for an ambulance and also inquiring where his back up was.

Doc ran his fingers through his grey thinning hair. His fingers paused slightly at the top of his head where a round shiny patch of his scalp now showed. He felt the think smooth skin under the tips of his long fingers. It was odd but just then, an image of a younger him flashed through his mind. A younger, slim Doc with thick light brown wavy tresses. Briefly he saw a flashback of a time when he felt sure of himself and his practise. A time when he welcomed challenge and trusted in his abilities. Lately he found himself missing those early years. The years when he first started his practise. The 30 some years he spent with his wife Trudy at his side. Always encouraging him. It was almost 20 years since her passing, and, yet some days, he still could hear her laughter as
though she still with him. She was the love of his life. His only love.

He had met her when he started medical school in the 60's. It was a short courtship that blossomed into love fast. He knew she was the "one" the night they shared their first kiss. He did not let Trudy know that night he had made up his mind about her. But a few weeks later he popped the question and she accepted without hesitation. He had never known a woman the intimate way he knew Trudy. She was all he had ever wanted or could hope to have.

Trudy was a petite red headed cutie. With a perky nose and beautiful large blue eyes. Her laughter and love for life was infectious. But on the rare occasion when she would need to be taken serious and that she meant business, especially by their three rambunctious sons, she could command attention. He sighed briefly, she would always be his one and only. He felt the presence of Cody and Josiah next to him, he suddenly felt old again.

Doc Keller felt a need to offer some medical explanation to the others. But what, he thought to himself. What could he tell them. He did not understand what was happening anymore than Cody and Josiah did. Eve however, he thought, he just knew she knew something. She worked for Copeland. She herself was in charge of the center. Yes he was certain she had some answers

He looked down at the figure at his feet a again and shook his head once more. Josiah and Cody now stood quietly at his side. He was happy to have these young strong men with him. But he felt as their elder they were leaning on him for some direction.

Josiah quietly spoke "I placed a call for backup." "In the meantime we need to get her" he motioned towards Marie as he spoke "out of here. Some place safe outside, till we have help". "Doc you and Eve take her outside and wait." Josiah looked at Eve. She did not protest and started to move toward the door guiding Marie. Who seemed somehow so fragile in her own slender arms. Just as the two woman reached the doorway Zach came rushing through the doorway. Bloody and terrorized. Doc, Cody and Josiah turned as he rushed past the woman. Their eyes stopped transfixed at the huge bleeding gouge on the side of his neck.